Tension and take-up device



y- 1941- J. FRADENBURGH ETAL 2,249,422

TENSION AND TAKE-UP DEVICE (S Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1940 BY 19' MT%%ZQ 1943 s Sheets-Sheet July 15, 1941. J. FRADENBURGH Hm.

I TENSION AND TAKE-UP DEVICE Filed Sept. 26.

L J'Ji III II I I II!!! ATTORNEYS y 1941' J. FRADENBURGH ETAL 2,249,422

rsmsrou AND TAKE-UP DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented July 15, 1941 T OFFICE TENSION AND TAKE-UP DEVICE John Fraflenburgh and William' Kellogg, Am-

sterdam, N. Y., assignors to Collins Loom Works, Inc., Amsterdam, N. Y., .a corporation of New York Application September 26, 1940, Serial No.'358,3 8 (Cl. 66-149) I Claims.-

This invention relates to machines for producing fabrics and is concerned more particularly with an automatic device to be used in connection wtih such a machine for advancing the fabric from the point of supply and winding it into a roll.

Various devices have been proposed heretofore for advancing a fabric from a source of supply, such as a warp knitting machine, and winding the fabric into a roll, one such machine including a roller in contact with the fabric and rotated to advance the latterfrom the supply under constant tension and deliver it to a second roller upon which the fabric is wound. While a .device of this sort may function satisfactorily, it occupies a considerable amount of space because of the use of the two rollers and it, therefore, cannot be employed with certain types of fabric producing machines. Attempts have been made to devise machines in which a single roller is employed both to draw the fabric from the point of supply and to wind it up, but each such prior device with which we are familiar has distinct disadvantages when employed in connection with fabric producing machines which are 14 feet or more in width and involves dimcult initial adjustments when employed in handling fabrics of diiferent wcights.

The present invention is, accordingly, directed to the provision of an apparatus of the type described in which a single roller is employed for advancing a fabric from its point of production during operation and the apparatus includes means'for restoring the weight to that position and also means acting on the connection to cause a progressive increase in the effectiveness of the weight in-pulling on the flexible element j as the winding proceeds.

on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

and winding it into a roll, the new apparatus being superior to prior devices in that it is applicable to producing machines of any width and is easily adjusted for different weights and types of fabrics. C

The apparatus of the invention includes a single roller to which the fabric is attached and about them, one of the rotary members being.

connected to the roller to rotate therewith. A weight is connected to the flexible element and, during the operation of the device, exerts a pull thereon which is transmitted to the roller through the rotary member connected thereto.

The weight descends from. an initial position In the apparatus illustrated, the fabric I0 is led from its point of production over a stationary member II to an advancing and take-up roller I! to which the fabric is attached. The roller is fast on a shaft 53 supported for rotation in bearings in brackets M secured to the framework !5 of the machine. The roller is driven by means of a gear 16 fast on shaft, l3 and meshing with a gear I! which is free to rotate on a, shaft l8 supported in a bearing in one of the brackets M. The gear I! may be connected to-shaft l8 by any suitable means, such as a clutch, and in the construction illustrated, thehub IQ of the gear is formed'with a slot in which may be-received a projection 20 on a collar 2| which is free to slide lengthwiseofythe shaft !8, but is rotated therewith by means of key'22 fast to the shaft and entering a keyway inthe collar. The collar may be positioned in any desired place along the shaft by a set screw 23 and when the collar is in such position that its projection enters the slot in the hub of the driving gear l1, rotation of the shaft causes gear I! to drive gear l6 and shaft I3 on which roller i2 is mounted. This causes the fabric to be wound on the roll and when the winding 0 ration is completed, the collar 2l isgmoved away from gear I! to free the latter from shaft I8, whereupon the roller l2 may be turned backward so as to permit the rolled fabric to be unwound.

The means by which shaft I8 is driven include "a pair of rotary members which, in the construction shown, have the form of sprocket wheels 24 and Z5. Sprocket wheel 24 is fast on one end of shaft I8 and sprocket wheel 25 is. freely rotatable onia pin 26 mounted on one ofthe brackets M. A flexible endless element 21 .crank lever pivoted secured at one endto the arm 38, bears at its during the downward'movement ofthe these members take the form of sprocket wheels,

the endless element is a chain. Movement is imparted to the chain by means of a weightloaded lever 28 and for'this purpose, the chain is formed witha bight 28 supporting an idler roller 38 mounted on a pin 3| secured in projection 32 on lever 28. The lever is pivotally mounted on a pin 33 supported by a bracket 34 attached to the'framework of the machine.

The mounting of the lever arm 28 is such-that movement of the lever about its pivot in a clockwise direction tends to lengthen the bight 28 of thechain. The rotary member 25 is prevented from rotating in one direction by means to be described, so'that a pull by the lever lengthening the bight 28, causes the chain to rotate the member 24 and the fabric roller |2 through its connections thereto. Since the fabric is attached to roller l2, the torque applied to the roller by i the weighted lever arm causes tension to. be applied to .the fabric issuing from the supplymechanism. When the lever has moved through a predetermined arc about its pivotpoint with re-' suit-ant lengthening of the bight in the chain, the lever is restoredto its initial position and, for this purpose, automatic means are provided to shorten the bight 28 in the chain and thus swing the lever in a counterclockwise direction.

The mechanism by which the bight in the chain is shortened periodically comprises a ratchet wheel 35 which is connected to the rotary member 25 and rotates with that member, on the" pawl 38 engages the teeth of and the pawl is pivotally 31 on one arm 38 of a bell on'thepin 28. A spring 38,

pin. 28. A driving the ratchet wheel mounted on a pin other end against the rear surface ofthe pawl and forces the pawl into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

The bell crank lever, on one end of which pawl 38' is mounted, is continuously rocked during the operation of the machine and, for this purpose, its other end 40 is connected by a pin 4| to a link 42 which isin turn connected by a pin 43 to a crank 44 iast on a shaft 45 rotating continuously during the operation of the machine. Although the bell crank 38, 40 is continuously rocked throughout operation, the driving pawl 38 is kept out of contact with the teeth of ratchet wheel 35, except during the periods when the lever arm 28 is to be restored to its initial position.

During the periodthat the arm 28 is descending, the ratchetwheel is held against backward movement by a holding pawl 48 mounted in the bracket H and .held in contact with the g surface of ratchet wheel 35 by a spring 41 which is connected to a block 48 secured to a pin 48 mounted in one of the brackets l4. By reason of the action of the holding pawl on the ratchet I wheelconnected to the rotary member 25, the latter remainsstationaryjas thebight 28 of the chain is lengthened during the downward movementof the lever arm 28.

The pawl 38, driving the ratchet wheel 35,- is kept out of engagement by the ratchet wheel,

arm-28 by a shield 50 which is secured to one "armof a bell crank pivotally The other arm 52 of the bell-crank carries a stud 53 on which is mounted an idler roller 54 which causes an appreciable lengthening of the bight 28 in the chain, the upper bight 55 is correspondingly shortened. At the beginning of the descent of the lever arm 28, the bight 55 in the chain is of such length that the bell crank 5|, 52 is in a position in which the shield 50 lies beneath the end of the driving pawl 38 and prevents the pawl from actuating the ratchet wheel 35. When the lever arm has swung down with accompanying lengthening of the blght 28, the corresponding shortening of bight 55 causes the bell crank 5|, 52 to be swung so that the shield 50 moves from beneath the end of the driving pawl. The pawl is thereupon effective to rotate the ratchet wheel 35 and rotary member 25. This rotation of member 25 draws upward on that stretch of the chain leading upward thereto with the result that bight 29 is shortened and bight 55 is lengthened. Idler 54 thereupon moves down and the bell crank lever 5|, 52 swings to cause the shield 50 to render the driving pawl 38 ineffective. This cycle of operations is repeated 'throughout the operation of the apparatus.

Throughout the descent of the lever arm and its return to its initial position, the weight of the arm is continuously applying torque to the roller 2| through rotarymember 24, shaft", and gears l1 and -|8. As the diameter of the wound roll increases, the torque applied to roller l2 must be correspondingly increased and such an increase in the torque could be obtained by increasing'the weighting on the lever arm or by rendering the weight more effective, as by'shifting the weight along the lever arm away from the center of rotation 'thereof. Manual adjustments of either the size of the weight or the position of the weight along the arm cannot be satisfactorily performed on a winding apparatus-employed with a machine producing fabric at high speedin that such manual adjustments increase the cost Y of production and inevitably introduce variations in tlfe tension on the fabric which impair the quality thereof.

In the apparatus of the invention, the torque applied .to the roller I2 is progressively increased with an increase in the diameter of the wound roll by automatic means which increase the ef-. 'fectiv'eness of the weight applied to the lever arm in producing torque. The mechanism for ,-8| formed on the surface of the arm 28. The

roller is moved outwardly along the track as the winding operation proceeds and the effectiveness of the weight in producing torque on roller I2 is thereby increased.

The mechanism for moving the roller along the track includes a nut 82 having spaced downwardly extending legs formed with slots 83 in which theends of the shaft 58 are received, the roller 80 lying in the slot 84 between the legs on the nut. The nut is formed-with a threaded mounted on the pin 28.

opening therethroug'h receiving a screwethreaded spindle 85 having aplain end Journaleddn a bracket 88 extending upwardly from the free end oi the lever arm 28. The other end of the spindle 1 is Journaled in a bore 81 in one end of a shaft lying within a small upper bight 55 or the chain 88 journaled in a bearing in a bracket 88 extending upwardly from the.lever arm near its pivqtally, mounted end. The shaft 88 has a slot ll in one end in which is received a pin H secured near the end of screw 65 and a locking member I2 straddling the spindle between a shoulder thereon and bracket 66 prevents endwise movement of the screw which would permit the pin H from being freed from the slot 18. The locking member I2 is pivotally mounted on a pin I3 and contains a slot 14 in which the spindle is received when the locking member is in operative position. During operation ofthe spindle, the latter is driven by engagement of the walls of slot .18 on shaft 68 with pin 1|.

As the shaft 68 is driven during the operation of the apparatus, the nut 62 is moved outwardly along the lever arm 28 by rotation of the spindle 65, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the weight 56. When the nut has reached the end of its travel near the bracket 66,' it must be returned to its initial position and, for this purpose, the locking member 12 is swung out of engagement with the spindle and the spindle is shifted lengthwise sufficiently to free the pin H from the slot 18. The end'of the spindle, however, remains journaled in the bore in shaft 68 and it is held in this position by means of a second locking member 15 which is pivoted on pin 13 on the opposite side of' the bracket 66 from. the locking member [2. Locking member I contains a slot 16 and when the spindle has been shifted to the right (Fig. 2), the member 15 may be swung upwardly so that the slot receives the endof the spindle between bracket 66 and the hub of a crank 11 on the end of the spindle. With the spindle in this position the crank can be ro-' tated so as to turn the spindle in the reverse direction and move the nut 62 inward to a point near its original position. When the nut has reached that point, the locking member 15 is swung away from the spindle and the spindle is moved endwise to the left, so that the pin H thereon enters the slot 18 'on shaft 68. The locking member 12 is then restored to its effective position and the mechanism is ready for further operation.

The shaft 68 is rotated by means of a worm wheel 18 secured thereon and engaging a worm 19 fast on a shaft 88 journaled in a bearing in a bracket 8| secured to bracket 34 attached to the machine framework. The rotation of the worm rotates shaft 68 and a screw 65 to move the nut 62 outward along the lever arm 28 and by moving the weight along the lever arm at a rate of travel proportional to the increase in diameter of the wound roll, the tension on the fabric remains the same during the winding, The worm shaft 88 may be rotated in any manner, provided that it produces a movement of block 62 proportional to the increasing diameter of the wound roll. In the construction illustrated, the worm shaft 88 is provided with a sprocket wheel 82 and a driving sprocket 83 is mounted for free rotation on the pin 26, the two sprocket wheels beingconnected '3 ratchet wheel 85 is governed by the number of teeth by which the driving pawl is permitted to advance the wheel on the forward movement of the bell crank 38, 48. The action of the driving 5 pawl is controlled by a shield 88 attached to one wheel 85 is held against return movement by a end of an arm 89 of a bell crank lever 89, 98, adjustably mounted on the pin 26. By adjustment of the position of the shield relative to the pawl, the pawl on its upward movement may be caused to advance the ratchet wheel by the desired number of teeth, such adjustment depending on the throw of the driving crank 44 through which bell crank lever 38, 48 is actuated. During back- I ward movement of the driving pawl 86, ratchet holding pawl 9| mounted on a pin 92 on arm 98 of hell crank lever 89, 90, the holding pawl being held in contact with the teeth of ratchet wheel 85 by a spring 93 secured to one end of arm 98 0 and bearing against the pawl.

In the apparatus illustrated, the driving pawl 86 has completed a forward movement, thereby advancing'the ratchet wheel 85 and the sprocket. wheel 83 secured hereto. Movement has in turn- 5 been imparted to sprocket wheel 82 fast on shaft 80 and, through the parts previously described, such movement has caused the nut 62 and the weight 56 to move outward along the lever arm 28. Each step in the movement of the sprocket 0 wheel 83 corresponds to a minimum movement of one tooth of ratchet wheel 85 and by adjusting the shield 88, each forward movement of the driving pawl 86, may cause ratchet wheel 85 to advance by more than one tooth. This, in turn, will increase the length of each step in theoutward movement of nut 62 and thus increase the increments by which the torque applied to the driving roll is increased. By selection of a ratchet wheel 85 having the proper number of teeth and of a screw 65 having the proper number of threads, the outward movement of the weight along lever arm 28 can be adjusted to insure the application of substantially uniform tension on the fabric throughout the winding of a roll thereof.

When the desired length of fabric has been wound up, the driving gear I! is disconnected from shaft l8 in the manner previously described,

the fabric is cut, and the length wound on roll I2 by an endless chain 84. A ratchet wheel 85 connected to sprocket wheel 83 is also mounted for free rotation on the pin 26 and the ratchet wheel is actuated by a driving pawl 86 pivotally mounted on the pin 31 secured in the arm 38 of the bell crank lever 38, 48. A spring 81, secured to aprois unwound. The nut 62 and the weight are then restored to their initial positions, the end of the fabric issuing from the producing machine is again attached to roller l2, the driving gear ll is reconnected to shaft l8, and the mechanism is tready for further operations.

At the beginning of the winding of fabric of any particular kind, the operator attaches to the lever arm 28 a weight 56 of such size as will, in his judgment, apply proper torque to the roller l2 and thus obtain the desired tension on the fabric. As the fabric is produced and wound up, the number of stitches in a unit length of the fabric is ,counted and from this, the operator determines whether the weight employed is of the correct size and, if 'not, -makes whatever changes therein may be necessary. If, after production of a few yards of fabric, the stitches are again counted and it is found that the unit length of fabric does not contain the correct number, it is clear that the torque applied to the roller is incorrect. If there are more stitches in a unit length of fabric than is desired, the weight is. not moving fast enough along the lever arm and if less stitches are present in a ticularly suitable for a roll which includes unit length, the weight is moving outwardly too fast. Since the rate of travel of the weight depends on the, speed of rotation of the spindle,

' this speed can be changed by adjustingthe'pawl shield 88 so that the driving ratchet wheel 85 by more or forward stroke-of the pawl.

pawl 86 advances less teeth on each When the pawl shield has thus been adjusted, the torque applied to the winding roller remains substantially constant as the wound roll increases and thus substantially uniform tensionis appliedto the fabric throughout the windin'g'operation.

The mechanism of .the invention provides a simple and effective means making use of. only a single roller for both advancing the fabric from its point of productionand winding it into a roll of increasing diameter without substantial variation in thetension on the fabric. The new apparatus may be employed in connection with fabric producing machines of many kinds, of

which warpjknitting machines are only a single example, although the new apparatus is paruse with warp knitting machines operating at high speeds. The new devicehas been found to operate more satisfactorily than prior devices in which a single roller is employed and it may be installed and operated at lower cost. Itis of simple construction and fully automatic and it may be employed to better advantage than prior devices in connection with the production of .fabrics of' different weights.

.We claim:-

1; .In apparatus for drawing fabric under tension from a source of supply and winding it into a roll which includes a roller on which the fabric from the supply is wound, apair of rotary connected to the and-means operating during'the winding operation to move the weight outward alongthelever, said means including a shaft in axial mounted for rotation.

2. In apparatus for drawing fabric under ten-- sion from a source of supply and winding it into a roller on which fabric from the supply is wound," a pair of rotary members, the first of which is connected-t6 the roller to rotatetherewith, and a flexible end-.- less elementtrained about the members, means for exerting. a pull on ihe'elenient which is trans-' 'mitted to the roller. through (the first rotary member and is effectiveto ,rotate the roller, said means comprising a support a lever pivotedon' a-pin on the support, an idler roller mounted on the lever and lying within a bight of the flexle ble element, a roller resting -on the lever and an idler roller mounted on alignment. with the pin and a support in which the shaftis bers, the'first of which to rotate therewith, and

from the supply is wound, a pair of rotary members, the-first of which is connected to the roller to rotate. therewith, and a flexible endless element trained about the members, means for exerting a I pull on the element which is transmitted to the roller through the first rotary member and is effective to rotate the roller, said means comprising a support, a lever pivoted on a pin on the support, an idler roller mounted on the lever and lying within a bight of the flexible element, a weight depending from the lever, means operating throughout the winding .operation for mov-- ing the weight outward along the lever, said means including a shaft in axial alignment with the pin, a support in which the shaft is mounted for rotation, a spindle extending lengthwise of the lever and drivenby said shaft, andmeans for operating the spindle Wardalong said lever.

4. Inapparatus for drawing fabric under tension from a source of supply and winding it into a roll whichjincludes a roller on which the fabric from the supply is wound, a' pair of rotary meme is connected to the roller a' flexible endless element trained about the members, means for exto the roller through erting a pull on the element which is transmitted the first rotary member and is effective to rotate the roller, said means comprising a support, alever'pivoted on a pin on the support, an idler roller mounted'on the lever and lying within a ment, a threaded spindle extending lengthwise of the lever, a weight depending from the lever,

a nut on the spindle connected ,to the weight, means on the lever of the lever, said means being disconnectible from the spindle, and means for rotating the spindle to move the nut and weight toward the pivoted endof the lever.

5.- In apparatus for drawing fabric underte'nsion from a source of supply and winding it' into a roll which includes a roller on which the fabric to rotate therewith,

the

, nut, means operating movable inwardly and outwardly along the lever;v

a weight depending from theroller, and means for moving the roller and weight outwardly along the lever, said means including a shaft aligned with said pin. 3. In apparatus for drawing fabric under tension from a source of supply and winding it into a roll which includes a roller on which the fabric tion thereof from its shaft, to-return the nut spindle extending lengthwise of from the supply is wound, a pair of rotary members, the first of which isconnected to the roller and a .fiexible endless element trained about to'the roller through the first rotary member and isefiective 'to rotate, the roller, 'said means comprising a support, a lever pivoted on the support, an idler roller mounted on the lever and lying within a bight of the journaled on the "lever in axial alignment .with the spindle,'the spindle and shaft having intereng'aging parts through which the shaft may drive the spindle, a mounting'for the spindle on the lever,. the spindle being movable endwise in the mounting between two positions to cause engagement and disengagement, 'respectively;. of said parts, means for holding the spindle in its respective positions, a nut on-the spndle, a w'ight depending from the lever ariii corfnected to the during the winding of the ,fabric to rotate the spindle to move the nut and .weight towardgthe' outer end of the lever, and

-means for rotating the spindle, afterdisconnecand weight to their initial'positions.

' JOHN wniuAM D, KELLOGG.

to move the weight inbight of the flexible elefor driving the spindle .to' move the nut'and weight toward the outer end the members, means for exerting a pull on the element which is transmitted flexible element, a threaded the lever, a shaft 

